Practice journal

I had great plans to practice a lot over this long weekend, but my body had other ideas. I'm feeling a lot better now and hope to get over to the school to do some singing tomorrow. All the listening and memory check stuff I've been doing is good, but I really need some singing time.

I'm working with Ruth again on Monday and I'm excited to get some feedback on what I've been doing. Since my voice still isn't at it's best, we'll probably work the lower/easier stuff.

I bought 2 more recordings on iTunes today. I really need to stop. It's easy to spend a lot when song are only $.99. I do think though that it has been worth it. I've done far more listening with these songs, and listened to more singers on each song than I ever have before. I think it has given me more ideas about what I want to do and what I want to avoid.

YouTube has also been a great resource. The other night I watched several performances by several different singers of "Vissi d'arte". There is one of Callas that is amazing. Another of her is great for the acting, but had some serious tuning issues at the end. Caballe is also interesting to watch. I have a
Tebaldi recording that I love, but the only video I could find of her singing this was not all that impressive. I wondered if maybe the reason it lacked dramatic interest was that even though there was a set and she was in costume, it was a
performance just of that song and not the full opera. I also watched a vocally glorious performance by Renee Fleming that seemed to have similar issues. For me, her facial expressions did not match what is going on in the opera at that point.

I'm planning to do some video recording as I get closer to performance so that I can make sure that I am conveying what I intend to convey.

I should be doing more audio recording now, but it just seems like a waste with all that I already know I need to work on.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Excuses vs. taking care of myself

Life has been busy. I've been tired. I could go on, but it's the same stuff that always gets in the way of writing or singing. I haven't even been reading other blogs this week. (And a week of blogs is a lot to catch up on.) I could beat myself up for not accomplishing all that I should, but what good does that really do. Instead, I choose to acknowledge that there were some difficulties this week, and I did what I needed to do to take care of myself. My house is much cleaner and I've had the rest I needed. I've also got the sugar and caffeine out of my system which will make me a much kinder person.


The good news is, even though I haven't had much actual singing time in my practice, I've still been able to make contact with my music every day. Teaching also reinforces vocal concepts even if I don't get a chance to apply them myself as much as I would like.


I'm including links to 3 blogs I read this week that I think are awesome. I don't always agree with this author, but I like the fact that she tells it like it is. She doesn't sugar coat anything. She says, here's who I am and what I believe. I hope you find something useful in her writing.

http://susan-oncemorewithfeeling.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-large-is-your-spirit.html

Ok, I'm having technical difficulties today and can't seem to get the other blogs to link. So, once you've read "How large is your spirit", also read "fix my voice" and the blog on vocal health.

Frustrations

In case anyone is actually checking up on me, I have practiced the last few days. I just haven't had the time/energy/ desire to post about it.

I took the long weekend as a much needed vocal rest time. I also spent more money on iTunes and did a lot of listening and work on memorization.

Yesterday I tried singing again and even though the voice was very rested, it wasn't one of my better sessions. I was just too tense and in too much pain to make good sound. This is starting to get frustrating. Yes, I'm learning a lot through this whole process, but I still need to learn how to balance the rest of my life so that I can get my best sound more often.

Today I didn't have much time to practice, but I finally felt better about the sounds I was making. It wasn't as hard today.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Practice journal 10/16/09

More listening and memorization work. Today I focused on 3 of the longer songs(at least as far as words go)--Die Mainacht, An die Nachtigall, and Schlechtes Wetter.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Practice journal 10/15/09

I'm saying that I'm giving myself a day of vocal rest, but really, I was just too tired to go to school to sing and I can't sing at home.

I finished putting the song texts into my phone notes. I also ckecked memorization as I exercised. Dein blaues Auge, O kuhler Wald, Ach Lieb ich muss nun scheiden, and Die Nacht are solid. The others still have one or two places where I have to stop and think, but I'm getting close.

I'll do a little listening tonight as I fall asleep.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Practice journal 10/14/09

Typed more of the words to my songs into the notes section of my phone so that I can study them anywhere. The only problem is that the auto correct keeps trying to change some of the German words. Everytime I type "dich" it gives me "dichotomy".

I also did some singing today while conducting, letting the movements my body wants influence the conducting gesture and then both influencing my line and tone.

I'm totally worn out now and I going home to go to bed early. On second thought, maybe I'll go get a movie.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Lessons that energize

I love when the teacher is emotionally and physically drained, but students are willing to work hard and leave the teacher with more energy than at the beginning of the lesson. It' so much better than those students that just suck all the life out of you.

My Friday students were awesome last week! I love ending the week on a high note.

I also taught until 7pm tonight (and started at 8:25 am). I wasn't sure how I was going to get through the last two lessons, but the enthusiam of the students was contagious. I feel great now. Thanks!





-- Posted from my iPhone